Mar 17, 2014

Professional sports and gay: false tolerance and true bias

Old Mr Michael Sam, on February 4, 2014, received a huge birthday present.

He is Dallas, early days is bitter: he has eight children, three early death, two sons went to prison. But until 2014 the day which some, mainly in seven son Michael's blessing. Little Sam Michael, is the pride of their family: the child was born in 1990, now has grown into a kind of 188 cm, 116 kg of the big fellow; Has read a senior at the university of Missouri, is the name of the school football team, in fact, in 2013, the little Michael was the sports news in the first team, as the school's defensive ace, four years down he accumulated 123 times grappling capture kill opponents quarterback, 21 times, by the early summer this year, he will take part in the NFL draft, big be NFL player may, start earning millions of dollars annual salary.

Even as his birthday, son sent him this message:

"Dad, I'm gay."

The old man choked the on the spot, "I couldn't eat, I go to an apple bees find wine to drink." He told the New York times said, "said the saying is incoherent:

"I don't want my grandchildren grow up in this environment! - I'm an old man! I'm a male and female that type of person!"

His old man's house is male and female. Another of his sons, to the old girlfriend yet, old son Michael himself with a trip to Mexico, found a coquettes, let son feelings about women. But have to admit that he has eight children, do more, much to his no care. When I was a child, little Michael Sam even often live in a friend's house. He himself admitted:

"Compared with family, closer to my relationship with my friends."

So, as early as two years ago, little Michael, Sam is a little bit of telling to the truth of his friends and teammates. In the summer of 2012, he and the university of Missouri football teammates and coaches make myself clear. My father was one of the last he told a group of people. After February 4 to say to my father, on February 9th, Michael Sam out formal team media:

"Yes, I'm gay!"

He further explanation:

"From childhood, I was attracted to a man. I don't know if it is step by step, I also don't want to admit that all the time, 'hey, I am a gay'... I've been trying to find my heart, find my most comfortable state, so I didn't tell anyone."

"I've seen a brother was shot to death; my sister baby died, I've never seen her, my second brother disappeared in 1998; I have two elder brothers began to prison from high school. Compared with these bad things, to tell the world I'm gay no what fantastic."

Don't ask, don't know, American media and exploded.

The first, is still a positive recognitions. Former NFL star iser, a figure the first arrow: this guy now 45 years old, retired from the NFL for twelve years; When he played for nine years in the NFL ball, who is the father of two children, doesn't look a bit; Until retirement announced their sexuality, and published "a man of war: I'm gay life in the NFL, and the establishment of the discrimination against gay websites. Jason Collins, last spring has just come out of the NBA's first gay player, went to met with him, back to praise: "mike is a good boy, very have the courage and leadership!" Was also last year out of football player robbie Rogers with Michael Sam on the phone, and said, "Michael's courage inspire millions of people face up to reality."

But since then the problem is the reality: on the eve of the draft, he come out, this will give the NFL team to give: elected him or not?

Michael Sam's former teammate, now in the effect of the New York jets Shelton Richardson think, this problem is: "I am proud for him. He told the university team after coming out, had his best season so far. I know he was nervous and scared, but he is brave to do yourself. He is a good teammate, a good man. I guarantee that he would not be affect his sexuality performance. On the pitch, he did not smile, is very serious, is a killer!"

He also specially chanting:

"Michael will be suitable for the NFL's dressing room, no problem. Don't accept him? That means your team thought not mature!"

Richardson's help, show extremely forbearance, the New York giants star John marla and Stephen tish also welcome Michael Sam, but not everyone thinks so. The New York giants Angle guard terrell Thomas view is:

"I don't agree with gay, I don't respect gay. If you want him to the team, okay. I can't speak for the NFL, and not on behalf of the team, I just know if a bunch of gay in the NFL, what's the problem."

Yes, is usually very cruel reality.

In January 2014, football out of the big topic: the 31-year-old former German international when he sperry lattice. "Realize that he is gay, it's a long, is also very difficult process. Only in the past few years, I began to realize that I prefer to live with the man." The media response, of course, is a voice of praise. German side, Mr Bush's international team-mate lukas podolski yell, "this is the right decision" brave, England old legend lineker highlighted the sentence "he announced out of the ark, is the first person to the premier league." Media after the shock, in succession to fill some politically correct speech, let a person to be in a good mood. And he is the only wrong the sperry, anyway after retirement, will be officially coming out.

The NBA had two players out of the ark: John - he is after leaving the NBA announced the coming out, Jason Collins is announced at the end of a career out of the ark. NFL star figure arrow as mentioned above, and only after retired dare to announce their sexuality. It is true that even in 2014, even if the players out, now already is a political right, can get widely praise - but these the brave, also had retired or near retirement, will dare to do so.

That year after march out of the ark, so the NBA attitude: some of the official, such like grant hill and better childe would say: "John to do so is conducive to encourage other players un-protected." Big mouth like shark will say: "if march in our team, I will protect him. I'm not a gay, I just don't like to judge others, I bless him!" But more people, such as former NBA super defender Tim HaDaWei said:

"First of all, I don't want him in our team; second, if he is in our team, I really can get away from him, because I don't think gay this thing, and I don't want to and he are in the same locker room; I have a bottom line, if you have 12 players don't want to communicate with each other on the team, you have to care about them in the locker room, do you want to win all difficult!" Such as Steve hunter says: "I can accept gay teammates, as long as he does not stretch out his hand to me." Pat - JiaLiDi keen point out: "gay guy sure people can accept, someone will resist, it is easy to make the team split."

Figure arrow admitted:

In the NFL players, there are a lot of gay. But they are not born well-off family, with sweat in return for a new life, will worry about gay rumors will make them lose their jobs, so they should be forced to associate with women.

Because of prejudice still exists. Although Richardson think discrimination against gays is a kind of immature, but was not so many liberals in the world. Old Michael Sam will scoff at gay, when the New York times asked him if the NFL is a gay players do, old man shout loudly: "the Dai Kang Jones football hall of fame superstar (late) from the grave to climb out!" He even so comment son: "we are black! We have many obstacles to cross! This is what he had to cross a!"

- the son's sexual orientation as a barrier, also forced son across. Sounds absurd funny, but this is the heart of most people.

Or go back to New York giants terrell Thomas's idea, he said some explicit, but very direct. He told the New York post player whom the gay teammate's question:

"The biggest problem is that in the locker room: everyone hanging naked at ordinary times, flirting joke."

"Probably, the team might disagree, but deliberately bully a heterogeneous players."

"The media is the biggest problem. A lot of up and down twenty children trendy, can accept homosexuality, but in the NFL's men heap, culture is different. It will affect the whole dressing room atmosphere, as well as media pressure, everyone will not great!"

"We have to be education, how don't you talk to the media to some political right, very trouble, old players don't like it."

"I'm sure he is not the first gay NFL players, but he is the first before they can come out in the NFL! I'm not saying he is selfish, I know what he did has a lot of courage, but I think the NFL's not ready to accept him!"

Words are very rough, but it is reality. This is Michael Sam going to face the fate of the:

The fact, cold and outsiders but insider knows all things. After the topic stabbed on the media, athletes will say to gay and lesbian issues some of politically correct speech; But privately, athletes circle with strong fortress bawcock breath, still they superstition with a classical temperament of masculinity, so professional circle can accept each other male hormones play banging other women over the head with a club, but raised eyebrows on homosexuality and apparent. In sports, as more players gay it not as a dark secret, all can clear up, to eliminate all stereotyped opinions. At the end of the day, professional sports need is not "support gay", but can accept insipid gay, don't take it very seriously.

As Michael Sam out after half a month, a good news: last spring out Jason Collins, was signed by the brooklyn nets so he became the first in the history of the NBA public after coming out, still continue to play the guy in the league. Although he is only ten days, who signed a contract, but in good condition: he may renew the second.

13 years. "this is my career the locker room of my life, and the previous twelve years makes no difference... it's so exciting, start living athletes, by public recognition and acceptance, it was a wonderful."

You see, they are really not much, they only want to accepted by the public recognition and. Although so far, Collins in the media focus on, but more or less, the stone was a little bit. Although the real cloud open on that day, also after many a Collins, many hope he sperry, o many marches, even though we have to get the 2014 NBA draft that day just know, Michael Sam would be another victim, or NFL created the first man, but every one example, for their situation, is a little progress.